'Disabled people and those needing social care have already been hit up to 19 times harder by cuts than others,' writes Armando Ianucci and others. Photograph: Alamy

The general election is upon us. In 21st century Britain we like to think we live in an equal and fair society, but equality is hard won. There was a time when women chained themselves to railings for their right to vote, a time when gay people were imprisoned and when signs proclaimed “No blacks, no dogs, no Irish”. All have had to fight for their right to equality. Disabled people are fighting too, but not simply for equality – for their very survival.

Perhaps they think disabled people are an easy target, because the 'scroungers' rhetoric has skewed public perception

Armando Ianucci and others

A third of disabled adults already live in poverty. Disabled people and those needing social care have already been hit up to 19 times harder by cuts than others. Under the Conservative-led coalition every aspect of their support has been reduced, abolished or failed, costing the taxpayer and costing lives. But just weeks before the election we discover through a leaked document that the Tories plan £12bn more cuts to social security, including disability benefits (Report, 30 March).

•Forgive my incredulity, but George Osborne refuses to be specific about £12bn of proposed cuts to welfare such as would transform the social fabric of the UK, and this appears to be far less important an issue than the role of the SNP, a perfectly legitimate British political party, in any future government. Is Labour not letting us all down by not hounding Osborne, demanding details, making it plain that if the turkeys do vote for this Christmas, it will be the type that even Scrooge would disown?Michael RosenthalBanbury, Oxfordshire

•David Marr’s article (30 April) is right in drawing attention to the danger of all the political parties shutting their eyes to the realities of the SNP. What he does not say is that if the Conservatives, with or without Lib Dems, form the next government, the breakup of the union is a certainty since the major further cuts to welfare will be totally unacceptable in Scotland. With 50-plus MPs, the push for an independent Scotland will be unstoppable. The consequences for the UK will be political chaos followed by financial chaos, especially as the EU referendum will be in the mix.Michael GrunebergSwansea

•The Tories and Labour continually use the term “working people” during the election campaign. The subtext is clear. This term is calculated to target the “employed” middle ground. What about those who do not fit this select definition? For instance, unemployed people, disabled people, sick people, asylum seekers and carers. The truth is that their subtle omission from this rhetoric merely reveals that the main political parties have abandoned all solidarity with these groups. In fact, both the previous and current governments have presided over the most draconian cutbacks to benefits and services that directly affect these groups. We do not need more scapegoating or divisiveness. We need a language and a progressive politics that embraces and involves the most vulnerable and powerless in our society.Martin HobanPontyclun, Mid Glamorgan

•Larry Elliott overlooks the most direct solution to the housing crisis (Report, 27 April): phase out housing benefit. It is estimated that housing benefit will reach £25bn a year during the next parliament. This amounts to a vast subsidy for employers who do not pay a living wage; for banks who can lend recklessly knowing that the government will always (one way or another) pick up the tab; and for buy-to-let landlords, who also benefit from tax relief on their already low interest repayments. Any other “industry” subsidised to this level would quickly be dismissed as a lame-duck enterprise. The savings over one parliament – more than £100bn – would easily pay to build the social housing the UK so desperately needs.

If the withdrawal were phased (probably by region and starting with London), any recalibration of the housing market would be sufficiently gradual to avoid a crash. This radical move will tackle the underlying cause rather than the inevitable symptoms of our building crisis.Dr Mark EllisHuddersfield